Wire-joining method



May 1, 1923.

B. J. DAVIDSQN WIRE JOINING METHOD Filed Dec. 15 3 Sheets-Sheet 1' R V n m m MR d V. M m U7 WV m M w \L. Q M m a w B Q \iIll ill 1 MI llll lh e E Y w K W N v w 1| "m 1 V a .N

B. J. *DAVIDSON I May 1, 1 923.

. l5 1921 3 SheetS Sheet 2 May 1, 1923. 1,453,447

- B. J. DAVIDSON WIRE JOINING METHOD Filed Dec. 15. 1921 I 5 She ets-Shee't :s

swml l aw I . ATTORNEY. I H

Fatented ay 3, 193.

BRUCE J, DAVIDSON, OF MABSEILLES, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO WIREBOUNDS PATENTS COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF MAI-NE.

WIRE-JOINING METHOD.

Original application filed June 30, 1919, Serial No. 307,749. Divided and this application filed December To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BRUCE J. DAVIDSON, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Marseilles, county ofLa Salle, and State of Illinois, have invented Improvements in Wire-Joining Methods, of which the followin is a specification.

This invention relates to wireworking and to methods of joining wires, wire bindings, or wire ties on or about boxes, box parts, bales, bundles, packages or the like.

Among other objects the invention has in view the production of a strong efficient joint, and one in which the Wire ends are free of objectionable sharp edges or points; the making of a desired twist independently of judgment of the operative, practically eliminating chances of improper or imperfect twisting or of overseraining or rupturing the wire; and the making of substantially uniform joints on different boxes or packages, thus introducing a desirable standardlzation in the practice of joining box wires.

The present application is a division of copending application filed June 30, 1 919, as Serial No. 307,749, which said application illustrates and defines a means for carrying out the methods of manufacture claimed herein.

The invention will be clearly understood from the following description with reference to one illustrative method and one illustrative tool for carrying out the method shown in the accompanying drawings.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the illustrative tool.

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the tool turned on its long axis at right angles to the position shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an end view of the twister head.

Fi 4 shows the butt end of the tool hand e.

Fig. 5 is across section of the twister head. I

Figs. 6, 7 and 8 are longitudinal sectional views of the twister head, representing different stages of the twister or joint-forming operation.

Fig. 9 is ahperspective view of a corner portion of an ordinary wirebound box, the

Serial No. 522,653.

wires or wire ends on the lid and front side of which are to be tensionally joined to complete the continuity of the wire binding and hold the lid firmly closed.

Figs. 10, 11, 12 and 13 are perspective views illustrating the use of an illustrative tool in joining the said wire ends.

Fig. 14 is a perspective view of the box corner after the production of the joint made by intertwisting the wire ends.

Fig. 15 shows the manner of hammering down the twist with the illustrative tool.

The illustrative tool comprises a twisting head 3 carried by a shank 2 from a handlel for turning the tool. The twisting head is bored at 4 to receive the two strands to be intertwisted, and is provided with cooperatlng wire-grasping members 5 adapted to grip the wires transversely and so proportioned and designed with reference to the resistance and strain to be developed by the intended twist as to perform a wire-severing action upon the completion of such twist. In this instance said members take the form of hard steel pins fixed at opposite. sides of the bore a distance fully as great as or greater than the diameter of the wire, but substantially less than twice such distance, so as to grip the'wires by a clutching action as the tool'is turned and crowd them against each other.

In the use of the tool for joining, for instance, the ends of a wire binding or tie about a box, the end portions of the wire are brought together and bent out from the box in approximate parallelism, as shown for example in Figs. Qand 12; the twister head is then slipped over the wire ends, held against the box side, thus locating the gripping pins in reference thereto, and rotated a number of times to intertwist the wires be-' tween the box and gripping pins; and when the twist for which the tool is designed is completed,.thatj is, when the ti htening of its convolutions develops a certain degree of resistance against further twisting action,

squeezing, tearing, wrenching, shearing and the wires, or i "swa 'ng, or,according to particular designs of ifierent specific tools embodying features of this invention it may depend mainly upon one or more such factors. Apparently the butt end of the twist functions as an anvil against which the wires are swaged by the ins. i

I pro erly designed the tool will sever or shear ofl the butt of the twist with a substantially blunt end, leaving little or no burr and no sharp edge or point such as might scratch or cut the hands of operatives or of persons subsequently handlmg the box.

An advantage in the specific type of gripping members described is that, when the twist develops a certain resistance and the severing action begins, the strands are jammed together, each serving as an anvil for the other, and the severing action is torsional and opposite upon the two strands, as distinguished from a direct shearing of the individual wires. This importantly contributes to producing the severing action at the proper time and before any part of the wire at the opposite end of or in the twist can be stretched unduly or to the breaking point, as well as to producing the desired blunt end.

Additional factors oontributin to this result, as well as to prevention 0 premature severing, are the spacing and the form and size of the gripping members, since if the wire-gripping surfaces are toonarrow or sharp they mi ht prematurely cut and sever too wide or blunt might delay the severing action until breakage should occur elsewhere. Hence inv designing tools for different classes of work the wire-gripping members should be proportioned and designed to insure the roper action, having reference to the size and quality of wire, extent of twist and degree of tension desired to be developed before the severing occurs. v

For joining, for example, the ends of ordinary wirebound box binding wires of No. 14 gauge, it has been found desirable to employ straight round pins slightly larger than-the wire (e. g. pins of 0.09375 diameter where the diameter of the wire is 0.080") and spaced apart a distance ten per cent. greater than the diameter of the wire, which distance will of course increase by wear as the tool is repeatedlyused. A tool so designed for operating upon No. 14 gauge wire may however be used for joining wires of other gauges within certain limits.

The distance between the wire-gripping members bein constant during the action of the tool, t eir grip or pressure on the wires is accordingly steady, and tendency to premature sever ng by exerting a sudden increased grip is thus eliminated.

insane? reference to the box side and holds them in i such position during the twisting operation. Consequently the twist pulls the wire oppositely from the box and the gripping pins, resulting in a beneficial and proper tensioning of the box binding and causing a gradually increasing strain on the wire at the gripping point which further importantly contributes to insurance of the severing action in advance of. rupture or breakage in or beyond the twist.

Usually the drawing ofthe wire for the convolutions of the twist will be from around the box and between the box and gripping pins, though after the wire becomes substantially taut on the box it may be drawn between the gripping pins, the latter permitting such longitudinal slippage, and tools embodying the invention may be designed with a view to drawing the wire principally or entirely from behind the pins, as, for example, where the box binding or tie wire is to be initially tensioned around the box before twisting, However with the illustrative type of tool such longitudinal slippage of the wire will not occur, at least to any considerable extent, so long as the wire can be further tightened about the box.

A further function of the illustrative tool is performed by the apertured end of the twister head or mouth of the bore 4, which instead of proceeding from the gripping pins toward the box, or from the box toward the gripping pins, takes place uniformly along the entire length of wire between the box and gripping pins, and in'each turn of the tool the wires tension uniformly,'resulting in each convolution of the twist being uniformly tensioned and the avoidance of extra tension where the twist joins the body wires.

In joining binding wires around boxes by ordinary twisting methods, the twist forms progressively from the tool toward the box or viceversa, each turn of the twist drawing in wire for that particular turn and getting an independent tension. If the twist proceeds toward the box, the tightening of the wires draws in the tool, losing a certam tensioning advantage, and the convolutions of the twist increase in tension toward the box, the joint being therefore weakest at the box end. If, on the other hand, the twist proceeds from the box; the tension of the binding is practically established by the first turn, losing the advantage of continued tensioning, and the strain is still greatest at the box.

The superiority of the twisting method herein disclosed, and the product of that method, from the standpoint of safety and avoidance of rupture by the twisting operation, and the obtaining of a strong, efficient joint, not to mention the blunt severing of the terminal and advantages in manipulation, will thus be evident.

To prevent any tendency of buckling of the twist after its completion, and to insure the severing of the terminal by the continued rotation of the tool, it is desirable to confine the wires between the box and the gripping pins within a space slightly larger than the completed coil or twist. This is accomplished in the illustrative tool by the employment of a bored or barrel type of twister head within which the twist forms.

It will be noted that the barrel also extends a distance behind the gripping pins, which assists in holding the wires in position for concurrent opposition to the severing action of the gripping pins, contributing to insurance of the simultaneous severing of both strands.

As before indicated, the tool is designed to sever the butt or tip of the twist upon the development of a given resistance to further twisting action, preferably when the convolutions close tightly together and completely fill the space between the box and the gripping pins. of the twist or head; i. e., the distance of the pins from the end of the barrel, determines the number of convolut-ions and the length of the twist, assuming the tautness of the wire on the box to be approximately suit-- able to requirements; so that in applying the invention to joining wires on boxes having the wires applied with substantial uniformity, as in the case of ordinary wirebound boxes, or in the case of joining box ties which are brought to a predetermined tension before twisting. the joints on a multitude of such boxes may be made substantially uniformly and correctly without dependence upon judgment of the operative.

Ordinarily, notwithstanding variations in the tautness of the wire on or around the box. the tool will produce a determined tensioning of the wire in. all cases; for if the slack permissible to be drawn up for the twist is less than required, the wire will slip through the back of the tool. or if greater than necessary the tool will slightly elongate the twist and in so doing will back off from the box. However, the tool may be designed to produce a given length of twist Obviously the gauging length selected partly with reference to the taut: state of the wires and also with a view to obtaining a short but amply etlicient twist. For convenience in using the illustrative tool to shape the wires for the joining operation, the twister head is provided at the end which goes against the box with top and bottom notches 6 and 7 for a purpose which will presently appear. To facilitate the turning of the tool without obstruction by the wires on the box body, the end is rounded off at the four corners as indicated at 8.

The manner of handling the tool is illustrated in Figures 9-to 15.

In these figures, a designates a wirebound box having a wire binding 25, secured there.- about by staples c, the portions of said wire binding on adjacent separably related box sides or sections, e. g. the lid and front, having free end portions 5 and -6 which are to be tensionally connected to complete the continuity of the binding and tightly close the lid. I

As indicated in Fig. 10, the operator first places the tool upon the lid wire 6 with the barrel a short distance from the box ed-i'e. and the bottomnotch 7 in engagement with said wire. lVith the tool'in this position. and grasping the lid wire as shown. he dcpresses the tool and forces it against the box.

lid wire. is given a double right as shown in Fig. 12; that is. it is bent down over the box side and out from the latter.

The operator then places the tool in the position shown in Fig. 12. holding it against the side wire 7) just below the projecting end of the wire 5 and bends the end of the wire over the notch 6. so that the two wires project from adjacent points of the box in approximate parallelism.

The barrel is then slipped over the two wire ends. held against the box shown in Fig. 13. and revolved by turning the handle to intertwist the wires. and when the twist is completed the wire is automatically wrung oil at the tip of the twist as before indicated. leaving a blunt tipped twist as shown in Fig. 14: and the twist may then be hammered down against the box sidc. using the butt of the handle for that purpose.

To facilitate hammering down the twist. the handle of the tool, if of wood. is desirably provided with a metal butt 9.

bviously the present invention is not angle bend limited to the specific embodiment illust1 ated and described but features of the invention are susceptible-of embodiment in variousdevices and may be advantageously used in various combinations and sub-combinations.

Having described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. A method of joining package wires by inter-twisting characterized by forming an even regular intertwistbetween portions of the wire for a certain length with the convolutions of the twist uniformly tensioned and by ringing off the tip of the twist a predetermined distance from the package.

2. A method of joining package wires by inter-twisting characterized by projecting the wire ends unidirectionally from the package, gripping and twisting said ends while governing the formation of the twist and in wiinging off the tip of the twist a predetermined distance from the package.

3. A method of joining wire on or about a package characterized by projecting the free end portions of the wire side by'side from the package, gripping said end portions a predetermined distance from the package, revolving said end portions at the gripping point while maintaining the gripping point a constant distance from the package whereby said end portions will be gradually intertwisted between the package andthe gripping point and the formation of the twist will increase the tension at the gripping point and cause a severing of the wire at said point.

4. A method of joining package wires by intertwisting which is characterized by projecting the wire eii'ds from the package, holding the wires side by side adjacent the package. frictionally gripping thewires in parallelism a distance from the package and revolving the wires at the point of gripping.

5.1.A method of joining package wires by intertwisting which is characterized by projecting the wire ends from the package, holding the wires side by side adjacent the package, gripping the wires a distance from the package and revolving the same at the pointoi gripping until the wires are intertwisted between the package and the point of gripping and automatically severed at the gripping point;

6. A method of joining package wires by intertwisting which is characterized by projecting the wire ends in the same direction from the package, holding the wires side by side adjacent the package, gripping the wires in parallelism a distance from the package and revolving the wires at the point of gripping while maintaining the gripping point a constant distance from the package whereby the wires will be intertwisted evenly and regularly between the package and the point of gripping with the Lessee? convolutions of the twist uniformly tensioned and will be wrung 0d at the gripping point.

7. A inethod of joining package wires by intertwisting which is characterized by projecting the '7 wire ends from the package, holding the wire ends adjacent the package,

frictionally gripping the wire ends in par allelism a distance from the package and revolving the wire ends at the point of gripping while maintaining the gripping point a constant distance from the package.

8. A method of joining package wires by intertwisting which is characterized by pro-- jecting the wire ends from the package, holding the wire ends adjacent the package, gripping the wire ends a distance from the package and revolving the wire ends at the point of gripping while maintaining the gripping point a constant distance from the package whereby production of the twist will tension the wires and cause a severing operation.

9. A nzethod of joining package wires by inter-twisting which is characterized by projecting the wire ends from the package, holding the wire ends adjacent the package, gripping the wire ends a distance from the package and revolving'the wire ends at the point of gripping while maintaining the gripping point a constant distance from the package whereby production of the twist will tension the wires and cause a severing operation at the point of gripping.

1d. A method of joining package wires by intertwisting which is characterized by projecting the wire ends from the package, holding the wire ends adjacent the-package, gripping the wire ends a distance from the package and revolving the wire ends at the point of gripping while maintaining the gripping point a constant distance from the package whereby production of the twist will tension the wires and cause a severing operation when the wires can no longer resist further tensioning.

11. A method of joining package wires by intertwisting which .is characterized by projecting the wire ends from the package, holding the wire ends adjacent the package, gripping the wire ends a distance from the package and revolving the wire ends at the point of gripping while maintaining the gripping point a constant distance from the package whereby production of the twist will tension the wires and cause a severing operation at the point of gripping leaving a blunt end free from sharp edges or burrs.

12. A method of joining package wires by intertwisting which is characterized by pro jecting the wire ends from the package, holding the wire ends adjacent the packa e, gripping the wire ends a distance from t e package equal to the desired length of twist and revolving the wire ends at the point of Whereb a blunt-ended twist of pr9deter' mined ength Will be formed with the convo- 5 lutions uniformly tensioned.

13. A method of tensionally joining package Wires by intertwisting Which is characterized by projecting the Wire ends in the same direction from the package, holding the Wires side by side adjacent the package, gripping and revolving said ires at a selected point a distance from the package whereby production of the twist will tension the Wires and sever them upon completion of the twist.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

' BRUCE J. DAVIDSON. 

